Applicant is aware of many commercially available concrete blocks for the construction of walls and the like. In reviewing the commercially available art he has not found any block which incorporated the advantages and alignment abilities as described herein.
A review of the patented art reveals that it is known to provide dry stackable concrete blocks for use in the construction of walls. In particular, it is known to provide a means for interlocking adjacent blocks as well as adjacent courses.
Commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 5,623,797 to Gravier et al. shows an interlocking stackable block structure wherein the top surface of each of the blocks has a pair of parallelly disposed upwardly protruding laterally extending ridge projections which mate and interlock with projections formed on the bottom surface of the block. Additionally, a post block is shown with recesses for lockingly receiving fence blocks therein.
Block structures having interlocking features are further disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,962,842 to Wilhelm, U.S. Pat. No. 4,956,958 to Caroti, U.S. Pat. No. 4,124,961 to Habegger, U.S. Pat. No. 4,426,815 to Brown, U.S. Pat. No. 2,994,162 to Frantz, U.S. Pat. No. 3,534,518 to Zagray, U.S. Pat. No. 3,905,170 to Huettemann, U.S. Pat. No. 5,365,714 to Potvin, U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,376 to Bender et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 3,116,570 to Torricelli.
None of these patents provide a block structure or block stacking system having the lateral and transverse alignment capabilities of the block structure of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the applicant's invention to provide a concrete block structure for the construction of walls which provides for transverse alignment of a dry stacked wall.
It is a further object of the applicant's invention to provide a concrete block structure for the construction of walls which provides for lateral alignment of the blocks in the wall.
It is a further object of the applicant's invention to provide a concrete block structure for the construction of walls which provides for vertical and horizontal reinforcement of the wall.
It is a further object of the applicant's invention to provide a concrete block structure for the construction of walls which includes a block structure specific to corner installation.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.